Of India's 18 major rivers, 17 are inter-state. In all cases, the water is intensely fought over. In all cases, there seems no resolution. In such a situation, can modern India take a page or two out of the traditional water manager's unwritten manual on settling disputes? Can modern India learn a trick or two from these management gurus? In their search for these managers, Down To Earth reporters travelled to six states. From SUTAPA GHOSH in Uttaranchal and Maharashtra, J SARAVANAN in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Ladakh and RAMYA VISHWANATH in Karnataka, a report - and some answers - pieced together by RICHARD MAHAPATRA